By Wayne, Owner, Wayne’s Pest Extermination

What I Walked Into

July is not usually the month people think about rodents, but I still get quite a few calls about them across the Greater Ottawa area during the summer.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from a homeowner who had started finding small droppings in the garage.

At first, they thought it might be a one-time thing. They cleaned it up and moved on.

Then more droppings showed up along a storage shelf, and they started hearing scratching sounds late at night.

That is usually when people call. Once they realize it is not going away on its own.

The home was detached, with an attached garage and a finished basement. The homeowner had never dealt with rodents before, so they were not sure how much activity was actually happening.

When I arrived, I started in the garage where they had seen the droppings. It did not take long to find signs that mice had been using that area.

The Problem

One thing I tell homeowners all the time is that rodent problems usually start small.

Most of the time, it begins with one access point, one quiet hiding spot, and one easy food source.

In this case, I found droppings behind shelving units and along one side of the garage where stored boxes had been sitting for a long time.

A few cardboard containers also had gnaw marks on them.

Outside, I found a small gap where a utility line entered the home. It was not a large opening, but mice do not need a large opening to get inside.

The garage also had bird seed and pet food stored in bags that were not sealed. For rodents, that is an easy meal.

The homeowner’s biggest concern was not knowing how far the activity had spread.

That is a fair concern. Rodents are good at staying hidden, and most of the activity happens behind walls, in storage areas, or in places people do not check very often.

The Process

I started with a full inspection inside and outside the property.

Inside, I checked the garage, nearby areas, storage shelves, and places where mice commonly travel. Fortunately, the activity was still mostly contained to the garage.

Outside, I inspected the foundation, utility penetrations, door seals, and other common access points.

The gap around the utility line was sealed, and I pointed out a couple of other areas that could become issues later if they were ignored.

We also talked through the garage setup. Food products needed to be stored in sealed containers, and some of the clutter along the walls needed to be reduced so activity would be easier to spot.

Then I placed targeted control measures in the active areas and explained what the homeowner should watch for over the next few days.

The point was not just to remove the mice that were already there. The point was to make the garage less attractive so the problem would not keep coming back.

The Outcome

Within a few days, the homeowner noticed a big difference.

No new droppings showed up in the areas that had been affected, and the scratching sounds at night stopped.

By the end of the week, the garage was quiet.

When I followed up, the sealed entry point was still secure, and there were no new signs of movement.

The homeowner told me the biggest relief was knowing where the problem had started. They no longer felt like they had to check the garage every morning or wonder what was happening behind the storage shelves.

That peace of mind is usually what people want most.

DIY Advice

Here are a few things I recommend homeowners do during the summer:

1. Store bird seed, pet food, and dry goods in sealed plastic or metal containers.

2. Keep garage storage organized so signs of activity are easier to spot.

3. Avoid leaving cardboard boxes stacked against walls for long periods.

4. Keep items raised off the floor when possible.

5. Check the outside of the home a few times a year for gaps near utility lines, vents, door frames, and foundation areas.

6. Make sure garage door seals are in good condition.

These are simple habits, but they make a garage much less inviting to rodents.

Professional Insight

A lot of homeowners think rodent problems only happen in the fall or winter, but many of them start during the summer.

Rodents spend the warmer months looking for food, shelter, and safe nesting areas. If they find easy access to a home in July, they may stay long before cold weather arrives.

That is why prevention matters so much.

When I inspect a rodent issue, I am not only looking at where the mice are today. I am looking at why they chose that property in the first place.

Once you fix the access points, reduce food sources, and clean up hiding spots, the chances of ongoing activity drop a lot.

Closing

July is a good time for homeowners in the Greater Ottawa area to take a closer look at garages, storage areas, and exterior entry points.

Most rodent problems start small.

A few droppings, a scratching sound, or a small gap outside may not seem like much, but those are the signs worth paying attention to.

If you're noticing rodent activity around your property, it is worth looking into sooner rather than later.

– Wayne

[https://waynespestexterminationottawa.com/rodents]